Vancouver, Its Your Turn

Davide Chiumiento could be headed to MLS with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Yesterday we saw four players signed to the MLS edition of the Portland Timbers for next season. What will their expansion mates the Vancouver Whitecaps do in return remains to be seen.

The Whitecaps do have first pick in signing any other D-2 player outside of their own rosters. There was some question yesterday how Portland was able to get Eddie Johnson from Austin when they are to go second in the D-2 discovery rankings. Turns out Portland had traded for Johnson in the middle of the season and then loaned him back to Austin so technically he was on their roster all along. Vancouver could have grabbed him first had he not been picked up by Portland earlier in the year.

So who exactly will Vancouver bring up into MLS. They were one club that made plenty of moves during the year to get ready for their “promotion” to MLS. Currently they have plenty of Canadian players that you’d expect them to bring in at some point before the 2011 season.

Now the big question will come down to how the league handles Cody Arnoux. If they don’t force him into the SuperDraft or into any sort of claiming system then the Whitecaps will likely sign him.

I’ve put together a short list of guys I think they’ll sign from their D-2 roster. I’d imagine they’ll be announcing some player signing soon, seeing how they won’t want to get behind the eight ball any with Portland already announcing four signings plus another couple on the way.

1. Alain Rochat – If you watched any Whitecaps games in the last couple months of the year you will understand why Rochat will be in MLS next year. He has plenty of quality experience in Europe and will certainly be a building block for the Whitecaps next year. I’d be utterly shocked if he wasn’t one of their first players signed. Plus he’s Canadian so they have that going for him too.

2. Jay Nolly – Portland signed a keeper with MLS experience and so will Vancouver. Nolly was one of their best players this past season and having some time with the Whitecaps over the last couple of years probably did a lot to help grow the guy as a player.

3. Terry Dunfield – Another Canadian, this time a guy in the midfield. He was brought in late in season, a move that was clearly designed for their move up to MLS. He’s a guy that can change a game with his passing in the midfield and is also one of those guys that works a full 90 minutes without ever stopping.

4. Martin Nash – He may not be signed right away but I can’t see a Vancouver team right now without Nash. Plus you know his brother kind of has a stake in the team ownership. He’ll come cheap and likely be a leader off the bench.

5. Philippe Davies – 19-year old from their Residency program with loads of potential. Plus you know he’s Canadian so that helps.

6. Davide Chiumiento – Another guy brought in from Europe late in the season that is expect to go to MLS next season. He didn’t wow folks as much as we all expected but there were chances he made that showed he has plenty of talent.

I know there’s plenty more that could be moved up into the MLS Whitecaps, for more on that check out this list over at The Province by Marc Webber.